Hi All,I've been contacted by an ESL school in Italy through eslemployment.com for a job opening they'd like to fill.

It's a regular ESL teaching job, by all apparent means, but being the scardy-cat I am I thought it'd be wise to get some more info on them and teaching in Italy, in general. The school's called Connor Language Services, and according to their website it's a language institute in Milan that also provides English for specific purposes coaching, besides regular courses.

I'm not a native speaker but have acquired my familiarity with the language due to a period of time living in the US as a kid. I also don't have any teaching certificates, just a CPE and experience as a teacher here in Brazil, where my husband and I are currently based.

Having heard that the market's pretty competitive, especially when it comes to being certified and a native speaker (both qualities which I do not possess), I was quite surprised having been called for an interview - and even more so when I was told that the job description also included (partial) airfare reimbursement and that they'd be willing to arrange for a visa for my husband as well.

Anyways, I'd just like to hear from anyone if they've had any prior contact with this specific school or if the case specifics seem well within the range of normality. I appreciate everyone's help in advance and sorry for the long post!

Connors are good if you're an unqualified teacher. They accept more or less anybody, give them a week's training and then send them out to teach people who believe they are being taught by experienced mothertongue teachers.

Their 'method' like those of so many of the schools in the area is empty. The connor method consists (or did until 2 years ago) of using the same books as everybody else, but adding a TEMPO block - a few minutes each lesson on telephone, email, meetings, presentations and "optimisation". All this can be condensed into a dozen sheets of A4, taught in a few hours and will be used on every sucker, regardless of what he or she actually needs from his or her lessons. The company is run by a conceited, arrogant man called Paul and his sidekick dos. They talk to teachers as if they were teaching bum-wiping to mentally deficient donkeys and provide the best motivation I've ever found to push a teacher towards working for him or her self.

Like all the other schools in Milan, my friend, avoid them like the plague. Check out which of them have shut down this year without paying teachers, how many have failed to pay teachers but not had the manners to shut down.. You'll find the names if you look online.

Hi, I'm looking to work in Italy during the summer and/or from September onwards. Could you recommend any good schools or academies I could contact or are any of the places you work looking to hire. I have 2 years experience teaching in Spain and have a masters degree.